Page 116 of Roommate's Guide to Love

She gives me a comforting smile before kissing my cheek as we make our way across the parking lot. “Everything. Because we’re going to bury Bonnie. And when we’re done, she’s going to regret ever stepping foot back in Rolling Hills.”

Porter and I didn’t sleep a wink last night, though we both pretended to. Grace stayed the night with Wes and Betsy, and they’re going to keep her until at least this meeting is done. The house was too quiet, and I couldn’t turn off my brain. Because while I don’t think a judge would seriously grant custody to that nut job, the possibility is there.

And that’s where my mind started fucking with me.

Because if we go before a judge, I know what I’m going to need to do. I’m going to have to step back and leave Porter.

I know my record doesn’t have any convictions, but it isn’t exactly clean either. Especially in the court of public opinion. There’s also the evidence of social media posts that will live forever about the teacher who told a group of mothers to go fuck themselves.

And I might be a different person, an employee of a school and not the prankster I once was, but I know I probably can’t help Porter’s case.

Which is when it hit me, roughly around four-thirteen in the morning, that if it came down to it, I was going to remove myself out of Porter’s life. Even if just for the time being, to make sure he stayed with Grace. I’m not going to be the reason he doesn’t keep that little girl.

Now I can only hope that it doesn’t come down to that.

“Your siblings are already here?”

I shake myself out of my intrusive thoughts to see that there are four cars parked out front of The Joint, and all my siblings, along with Logan and Emmett, are waiting at the door.

“You had to know I wasn’t going to be here on time,” I joke, hugging each one of them because I’m so freaking grateful they’re here.

“We’d hoped that being with Porter now would make you punctual.”

He groans as he unlocks the door. “If anything, she’s rubbing off on me.”

There’s laughter as we walk into The Joint, but it quickly dies down as we take our seats around the big table in the middle of the bar.

“I brought coffee,” Simon says, passing around cups with our names on them. “If there’s an emergency that calls for a late-night text and an early morning meeting, we need to be caffeinated.”

“God love your wife for knowing that the diner needed a coffee station,” I say, taking a big sip of the iced caramel goodness.

“She’s sorry she couldn’t make it this morning, but if she needs to do anything, just give her the signal.”

“Coffee is enough,” Porter says. “Though honestly, I don’t know what any of you can do. This…this is a messy situation that I hate getting anyone else involved in.”

“Messy?” Stella says, her eyes getting excited. “The Banks family is very good at messy.”

“How about you tell us why we’re all here,” Maeve says, getting things in order. “And then let’s see how many favors we need to call in.”

Porter doesn’t say anything, instead just shows everyone the papers he was delivered yesterday.

“Are these what I think they are?” Maeve asks as Logan and Simon start pouring through them.

“A petition for custody of Grace? That would be correct.”

For the next few minutes, Porter and I fill them in on Bonnie’s sudden appearance and enough backstory to what’s relevant for now. He also tells them all about Missy, more details about the day Grace was left, and the letter she included that he still has.

“Wow! What a bitch! How dare she come in and think she’s going to take Grace away from you two!”

“Exactly!” I tip my finger to Ainsley, completely agreeing with her assessment of the Bonnie situation. “Sheisa bitch.”

“She really just came here and demanded custody?” Stella asks. “Has she even contacted you since Missy left Grace here?”

“Not once,” Porter says. “And honestly, I don’t know how she even knew Missy brought her here. From what it sounded like, Missy’s cut her out of her life.”

“Can’t say I blame her,” Ainsley mutters.

“Cut out of life or not, bitch or not, this is a problem,” Maeve says. “This is probably me being a little too glass-half-empty, but she is your mother and Grace’s grandmother. You can’t assume a court is going to give you Grace, letter or not.”

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